The Indoor Report: What to read, watch and listen to this month

March is the time to celebrate all things Irish, and these three unheralded gems encapsulate the best of the Emerald Isle.

Book

Felicia’s Journey (1994)

By William Trevor

William Trevor’s sad, quiet novel follows two lonely characters at a crossroads. Irish girl Felicia is 18, and recently made pregnant by a boy named Johnny, who she believes is in the British army.

Felicia’s father, furious that she would consort with a British soldier, kicks her out of the house, so she leaves Ireland to search for Johnny in Birmingham, England. It’s there she meets Mr. Hilditch, a quiet, middle-aged businessman who takes pity on her and offers to help her find Johnny. Little does she know Mr. Hilditch is a serial killer, with a history of preying on teenage girls.

The synopsis sounds like the recipe for a horror thriller, but part of the appeal of “Felicia’s Journey” is in the way it frequently subverts expectations. Trevor isn’t interested in exploitative set pieces or cheap thrills. Instead, the novel is a melancholy character study of two people the world has overlooked searching for a modicum of happiness.

Trevor asks us to sympathize with the deeply disturbed Mr. Hilditch as he struggles to find his better angels, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be successful. Any eeriness stems from Trevor’s refusal to pass judgment on Hilditch, even as he reminisces about the grisly fates of the girls in his “Memory Lane.”

Movie

In Bruges (2008)

Directed by Martin McDonagh

The movie may be set in Belgium, but “In Bruges” is an Irish production through and through. Like most Irish films, it’s infused with themes of religion and regret, but with a crackling wit and energy burning beneath the surface.

Colin Farrell plays Ray, a rookie hit man for the Irish mob, who is spirited away to Bruges, Belgium, after a job goes tragically wrong. Brendan Gleeson is Ken, a veteran gangster, tasked with babysitting the distraught Ray during the pair’s time in Bruges.

While Ken is enchanted by the town’s picturesque landscapes and rich history, Ray would rather be anywhere else, a point he reiterates early and often, to increasingly hilarious effect. Meanwhile, the boys’ foul-mouthed mob boss Harry (an unhinged Ralph Fiennes) has decided Ray’s mistake has done too much damage, and wants Ken to eliminate him. Ken, who has grown quite attached to the younger man, must decide where his loyalties lie.

“In Bruges” benefits from wonderful performances and one of the best screenplays of the last 20 years. The film vacillates seamlessly between hilarious and heartbreaking, making you laugh out loud at a well-timed one-liner one minute and sucker punching you with a blast of shocking violence the next. It’s a very dark movie, and maybe not for everyone, but it’s impeccably acted, brilliantly written and layered enough to make it endlessly re-watchable.

Album

Once (2007)

Original Motion

Picture Soundtrack

The movie “Once” could have easily been my movie recommendation this month, because it’s an absolute gem of a film. But the soundtrack is what really sticks with you, and it stands beautiful on its own merits.

The film is a musical built around the budding relationship between a struggling Irish street musician (Glen Hansard of The Frames) and a beautiful Czech cleaning woman (Marketa Irglova), who bond over a shared love of music. Like the film itself, the soundtrack is beautiful, heartbreaking and bittersweet.

“Falling Slowly” is the album’s masterpiece, and it’s not hard to see why it won the Oscar for best original song. A delicate, lilting love song, “Falling Slowly” builds in power and emotion without feeling forced or melodramatic. As good as that song is, though, plenty of other brilliant tracks benefit from being on an album, as they may have been overshadowed or underplayed in the film: Hansard’s heartbreaking “Leave,” Irglova’s lovely, minimalist “If You Want Me” and the rousing, folksy Irish ballad “Gold” by Interference.

Each of these titles is available at the Blaine Public Library. To reserve a copy, visit the local branch or go to wcls.org.

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1 month agoby pointrobertspressBlaine police chief Allen Schubert estimates more than 300 people attended an open house hosted at the Blaine Police Department on November 7. The event featured tours, raffles and dinner. “The open house was a big success,” Schubert told Blaine City Council this week. “It is just all part of our goal of being more community oriented.” See more photos by clicking the link in our bio. Photos by Stefanie Donahue and Richard Sturgill. #BlaineWa#BlainePolice

4 weeks agoby pointrobertspressBlaine’s Community Assistance Program expected to serve about 275 families through its annual Thanksgiving Basket program – about the same as last year – although people were still signing up early on November 20, the day of distribution, said program director Rhyan Lopez. CAP had grocery vouchers to give out if food ran out. CAP volunteers were also expecting to get 419 pies to the distribution center next to Cost Cutter. Several churches and community groups competed to bake the most pies, and the Girl Scouts were in the lead at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. Photos by Oliver Lazenby. #Thanksgiving

3 weeks agoby pointrobertspressMembers of the Whatcom Family YMCA, Beachwood Resort, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue and others held a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 26 to celebrate the beginning of the YMCA’s swim lessons at Beachwood Resort located at 5001 Bay Road in Birch Bay. It’s the first YMCA program in Birch Bay, but YMCA staff say they hope to offer more in the future. To learn more, click the link in our bio. Photo by Oliver Lazenby. #BirchBay#SwimLessons#YMCA#WhatcomFamilyYMCA

2 weeks agoby pointrobertspressBlaine’s annual holiday celebration took place downtown on December 1. The event featured an arts market, history museum, live music, fun run, tree lighting and more. Photos by Aly Siemion, Heidi Holmes, Stefanie Donahue and Louise Mugar. To see more photos, click the link in our bio. #HolidayHarborLights#BlaineWA

6 days agoby pointrobertspressSharon Mayson, l., and Wendy Donaghy, r., of Angels Descending performed a variety of festive tunes at the Blaine Senior Center on December 8. The performance, called ‘Christmas Joy: A Holiday Concert,’ attracted about 40 people. Photo by Stefanie Donahue. #BlaineWA#BlaineSeniorCenter#HolidayConcert

Police Reports

December 5, 8:58 p.m.: Officers responded to the Peace Arch Port of Entry for a report of a suspended driver. Officers arrived and determined the individual was, in fact, suspended in the 3rd degree. Officer arrested, cited and released the individual with a mandatory court date. Officers cleared with no further incident.
December 6, 4:10 a.m.: Officers on patrol observed a commercial vehicle parked facing the wrong way in a no parking zone. The driver was contacted and issued a traffic infraction.
December 6, 11:41 a.m.: An Officer responded to a two car collision in an alley way. The Officer did an exchange of information for the drivers.
December 7, 10:03 p.m.: Officers were called to the Blaine Christmas tree for a report of a juvenile trying to climb the tree. There was no apparent damage to the tree. The youth was given a warning and officers cleared. Chief’s Note: This case was forwarded to Detective Kringle for further investigation.
December 7, 11 p.m.: Officers on patrol contacted a transient male attempting to sleep on the sidewalk in sub-freezing weather. The man was given a courtesy ride to a heated shelter. Officers cleared. Chief’s Note: The Blaine Police Department has numerous resources to ensure homeless citizens are not left out in the cold. The safety and welfare of all residents, whether they are permanent or temporary, is our utmost concern and has a lasting impression on the perception of our great city.
December 7, 11:30 p.m.: Officers responded to a report of a fight at a local bar. Upon arrival, officers were told that a pedestrian had been harassed by a car of young adults. The teenagers tried to instigate a fight and then left the area. No license plate had been observed. Officers searched for the vehicle but it had left the area prior to when officers arrived.
December 9, 8:10 a.m.: Person reported a male subject was walking back and forth in front of her residence and would walk up into her driveway. Officer located the male subject standing in the person’s driveway. Officer determined the subject was intoxicated and confused at where he was. Subject thought his vehicle was parked at this residence. Officer transported the subject home. Officer cleared with no further incident.
December 9, 11:22 a.m.: An individual called to complain about hunters in the area. The individual was advised the hunting season is open. The individual asked how long the season was. The Officer referred her to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website for further information. Officer cleared without law enforcement action.
December 10, 2:55 p.m.: Officer was working traffic enforcement in the school zone when he witnessed a student on campus even though he had been trespassed from the school campus. Officer arrested the student and then turned him over to his mother. Case was forwarded to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office.
December 10, 8:55 p.m.: An officer on patrol stopped a vehicle for operating without taillights. The driver was contacted and admitted to drinking. The driver was arrested for DUI and booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
December 10, 7:26 p.m.: Blaine police were called to the Cost Cutter shopping complex for a report of a man trying to open multiple car doors in the parking lot. An officer arrived and found the man. The man stated that he was just locking up his friend’s car before trying to find a cigarette. The vehicle in question was actually registered to the person who the man said gave him a ride. Without any evidence to prove he got into any other vehicles, the man was not arrested but was trespassed at the request of Cost Cutter. The responding officer relayed the man’s information to dispatch and it was later learned that he had multiple warrants for his arrest. The man left in the vehicle a few minutes prior to the officer getting this information and was not able to locate him again. Chief’s Note: I will personally review this case with the responding officer to determine howthis unsatisfactory resolution occurred.